Colorectal cancer CRC
Genes that are candidates in both colon and rectal adenocarcinoma, which TCGA profiles as separate projects. 939 genes qualify in both; 435 of them (46%) have supporting plasma Cell-free RNA (cfRNA)RNA fragments that circulate in blood plasma outside cells. Most come from blood cells; a small share comes from other tissues, including tumors. evidence, and 501 are non-coding genes the plasma sources cannot check.
An overlap, not a pooled analysis. Each gene passed every step separately in COAD and in READ, against that cancer type’s own samples. Every TCGA colorectal sample used here is a primary tumor (TCGA has a single metastatic colon sample, which LB2 does not use), so these genes describe primary disease, not metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).
Candidates in each cancer type
Plasma evidence for the 939 shared genes
Samples compared, separately for each type
| Cancer type | Tumors | Normal | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colon adenocarcinoma (COAD)vs normal colon | 288 | 349 | 1,356 |
| Rectum adenocarcinoma (READ)vs normal colon | 92 | 318 | 1,355 |
Both are also compared with the same 337 GTEx whole-blood samples.
Shared candidates
Ranked by the weaker of each gene’s two Priority scoreThe mean of the two AUCs, plus 0.05 for each plasma source that supports the gene (at most 0.15). Candidates are ranked by this score., so a gene ranks high only if it is strong in both cancer types. Select a gene to see it across every cancer type.
Caveats for CRC
- Every TCGA colorectal sample used here is a primary tumor (TCGA has a single metastatic colon sample, which LB2 does not use), so these genes describe primary disease, not metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).
- READ: With only 92 tumors, confidence intervals are wide; treat close ranks as ties.
- READ: Only 19 PFI events, so survival estimates are imprecise.
- The blood comparison sets TCGA tumors against GTEx blood. Study and biology cannot be separated there, which is why genes made by blood immune cells are removed as well.